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Texas To-Do List: Rug Ratz
Rug tufting has gone viral! You can try the trend yourself and create your own custome rug at Rug Ratz in Fort Worth.
FORT WORTH, Texas - Have you ever heard of rug tufting?
Videos have gone viral of specialty rug crafting online and now there's a place in Fort Worth where you can try it yourself!
This week, the Texas To-Do List is checking out Rug Ratz.
"Rug Ratz is rug tufting studio, DFW based. We’re the only one in the area where you can come take our class. We show you how to make rugs in house," said Brandon Tang, the owner of Rug Ratz. "You come in, you can pick your own design and we teach you everything from beginning to end. You actually get to leave with the rug day of, so that's pretty cool."
You have the option of creating a two, three or four foot custom-designed rug.
The best part? You don't need to have any prior skills to participate.
"You can start this class with zero artistic ability. Once you pick your design, we set the whole entire canvas for you. So we draw everything out, prep it up for you. By the time you get here, you're ready to go," said Tang. "From the beginning of the class, we walk you through the steps of the rug gun. So we teach you everything you need to know in-house. And by the end of it, you're going to be a rug pro."
From start to finish, the average rug tufting class is approximately four to five hours. During that time, you learn how to use the rug gun, create the rug, then they help you finish it off by gluing the back and shaving it.
But there's no need to feel rushed.
"Let's say you book our class; you take 4 hours, and you still are not finished. You actually get to save it, pick back up right where you left off for the next time you book at no charge," said Tang.
The sky's the limit when it comes to picking your design. Just keep in mind that if this is your first class, it's best to keep it simple.
"We do suggest simpler images for beginner purposes. You can pick whatever design you want, but as far as details go, if it is too complex, we can tone it down a little bit and make it work," Tang explained.
Bob Ross may tell you that when it comes to art, there are no mistakes, just happy accidents. Unfortunately, that rule does not apply here.
"The only rule that we have in the studio that we tell people all the time is you cannot put the rug gun in the actual canvas and move your weight down, right? So, you can only go in the up direction, left and right. You cannot work your way down," Tang explained. "If you do work your way down, it'll make holes in the actual canvas. Once you have holes, it is kind of game over. But we do our part where we can patch the holes and kind of make it right for you."
Tang, a 24-year-old entrepreneur who grew up in Fort Worth, wanted to give back to the community.
He endeavored to create a space where people could find their inner child through the power of art.
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"My whole purpose of making the studio was to make a fun, creative community center just so everybody could be involved, right? Whether it's the kids, the grandparents, everybody. So as long as you can make the rug, and let's say the kids can't quite handle the gun, they can paint the bears," Tang said. "We have a 9 inch, a one foot and a two-footer. You can do the painting where you
marble the paint on and kind of get your own drizzle effect, or you can full on paint the bear for the more artistic people who want to create their own little figure."
The classes make for a great date night. If you are interested in taking this class, make sure to book soon, because space is limited.
"This is a place where you can come in and not have to worry about messing up or not knowing what to do. We teach you everything in house. So, by the time that you leave here, you're going to be a rug pro and it's cool to see what you're capable of within that four-hour window, starting from the beginning, knowing nothing and then leaving with a beautiful rug that you made by hand. It’s really cool to see," said Tang.
You can learn more about Rug Ratz here.
It’s a planner, it’s a motivator, it’s a challenge! Get out and experience the wonder and fun around you with FOX 4's curated list of fun and unusual activities all across north Texas. Keep checking back as the list keeps growing. Got a suggestion for us? Email us here.